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The History of Saint Paul Missionary Baptist Church, Inc. 
 
The Organizing Members


The first organizing and planning meeting for our church was held in the home of Deacon Lucius B. Eberhardt. The planning committee was composed of then Pastor Luther Westbrook, Brother William Burton, Brother Lucius Eberhardt, Brother Parker Booker, Brother Harry Stimpson, Brother Jasper Whitaker and Brother Ambrose Jackson. 

Perry J. Brown gave Pastor Westbrook and this committee  permission to hold services in the chapel of the Perry J. Brown Funeral Home. Weekly services for the new church were begun here. The Official Board was organized with the following members: Brother John Fountain,  chairman, Brother Harry Stimpson, Brother Fred Worthy, Brother William Burton,  Brother Lucius Eberhardt and Brother Parker Booker. The Trustee Board appointees  were Brother John Fountain, chairman, Brother Clarence Mitchell, Brother William Springs, Brother Ambrose Jackson, Brother Wiley Presley and Brother Jasper Posey. The recording secretary was Sister Etta Fountain. Pastor Westbrook's  wife, Sister Rachel Westbrook, was a great inspiration in helping to organize the auxiliaries of the church. 

In early March 1962, it was agreed at a church meeting  that the church's name would be Saint Paul Baptist Church.  In 1963, the church moved into a beautiful edifice at 320  Walker Avenue in downtown Greensboro. At that same time, the Saint Paul  Building Fund was started to meet the goal of a permanent church home. Church  membership continued to grow under Pastor Westbrook's leadership until he  resigned in 1964. 

In October 1964, Reverend Will Henry Moore became pastor  of Saint Paul. This was truly a blessing from God. Under his pastorship, the  church began a Sunday morning radio broadcast which greatly aided the sick and  shut-in and continued to bring new souls to Christ. In addition, the Missionary  Circle No. II, the Youth Ministry, the Willing Workers Club, Cub Scouts, Boy  Scouts, the Male Chorus, the Youth Choir, the Nurses Aide Club, the Spiritual  Choir and Jubilee Choir were all organized during his pastorship. The church  continued to grow spiritually and financially as well as in membership. Because  of increased membership, the church approved Rev. Samuel Lee Fogle to serve as  assistant pastor in 1968. 

Through sales of recordings by Pastor Moore and the  choir, our building fund was greatly enhanced. All members of the church  contributed greatly to this effort as well. Larkin Street was chosen as the site  for the future church.  Urban renewal forced the demolition of the church  building on Walker Avenue. The Greensboro School Board allowed the members of  Saint Paul to hold morning worship service in the Caldwell School Auditorium,  but would not permit evening services. The pastor and members of Skeens Chapel  Holiness Church opened their hearts and doors so that Saint Paul could continue  evening services and other meetings. 

Due to the National Energy Crisis in 1973, morning  services could no longer be held at Caldwell School. Pastor Moore and the church  building committee, headed by Brother Lucius Eberhardt, secured a contractor and construction began.  The sanctuary was completed on December 16, 1973. We held  our annual Christmas fellowship dinner following the morning's worship,  realizing a dream that was conceived in 1962, when our first Christmas  fellowship dinner was held at the Hayes-Taylor YMCA. 

On June 26, 1974, Pastor Moore died after preaching the  third sermon of a week-long revival held at Pilgrim Baptist Church. Pastor  Samuel Fogle, who had served assistant pastor for six years, was installed as  pastor. Under Pastor Fogle's leadership, the church paid off the mortgage and  implemented new programs including the Scholarship Fund, the Scholastic Achievement Recognition for Saint Paul Youth, the Men's Fellowship Club and the  Young Adult Missionaries. The church also purchased a van allow those members  without available transportation to attend Sunday School and Sunday Worship  Service. 

In the early 1990's, membership had outgrown the original  facility. Mr. Clinton Gravley was selected as the architect to design the  renovation of the church to provide more classrooms and office space. Members  worked for two years to raise funds for the project. In February 1993, Hodges  Construction Company began the renovations and additions to Saint Paul. On July  10, 1994, the official dedication service of the educational wing and  renovations was held at the church. On Sunday, July 30, 2000, Saint Paul  Baptist Church held a Mortgage Burning Ceremony to celebrate having paid off a  twenty-year mortgage in only six years. 

In late 1998, Pastor Fogle was diagnosed with a heart  condition. Because of this diagnosis, Pastor Fogle decided it was necessary for  him to resign as pastor of Saint Paul after 25 years of service. He continued  to attend and be a part of services at Saint Paul whenever possible until the  earthly portion of his spiritual journey ended on June 18, 2003. His widow,  Sister Lucille Fogle remains a beloved part of the Saint Paul family. 
 
Following Pastor Fogle's resignation, a search committee  was formed and several candidates were invited to preach to the Saint Paul  members. On August 1, 1999, James W. Fisher took pastorship of Saint Paul  Baptist Church.  On Sunday, July 30, 2000, Saint Paul Baptist Church held  a Mortgage Burning Ceremony to celebrate having paid off a twenty year mortgage  in only six years. The mortgage was for the education wing of the church which  includes Sunday School classrooms, the church library, the computer lab, the  church offices and other meeting rooms. Pastor Fisher has been instrumental in the growth at
Saint Paul through various ministries that the Lord gave him. The construction  of an elevator and a garage and multi-purpose building, the repaving of the parking lot and the remodeling of the pulpit and choir stand have also taken  place during Pastor Fisher's leadership. 

Pastor Fisher is married to Lady Renee Fisher. Since  coming to Saint Paul, Lady Fisher has exemplified to the congregation what it is  to be a "help meet" and she continues to show forth her "reasonable service" in  both word and deed.  As Saint Paul continues to grow on the strong foundation  that was begun in the spring of 1962, we look forward to the new vision that God  has for this ministry.

Organizing Members 

Sis. Maggie Alston
Sis. Carrie Benson
Deacon  Parker Booker
Sis.  Mary Braswell
Sis. Sarah Brown
Sis.  Roberta Burton-Bracken
Deacon  William Burton
Sis.  Altonia Sanders-Hall Clay
Sis. Nettie Coad
Sis.  Gertrude Cooper
Bro. Jordan Crandell
Sis.  Edith Crawford 
Sis. Mary Daye
Sis.  Dottie Dingle
Deacon Lucius Eberhardt
Sis.  Thelma Edwards
Sis.  Mattie Evans
Sis. Daisy Foster
 Sis. Etta Fountain 
Deacon John Fountain
Sis. Hester Gainey
Sis.  Alice Godfrey
Sis. Hallie Haith
Sis.  Ruby Hamilton
Sis.  Floree Hardin
Sis.  Sadie Harper
Sis. Eliza Heath
Sis.  Mae Lois Hill
Sis.  Nellie Hopkins
Rev. Ambrose Jackson
Sis. Phyllis Jackson
Sis. Trumiller Jenkins
Sis.  Georgia Johnson
Sis. Mary E. Jones
Sis.  Georgia Keith
Sis.  Laura Maxwell
Deacon  Lonnie Maxwell
Sis. Sallie McCollough
Bro. Clarence Mitchell
Bro.  Howard Moore
Sis.  Thelma Moore
Bro. Pratt Motley
Sis.  Mae Bell Petty 
Bro.  Jasper Posey
Sis.  Malenzia Posey
Sis. Janie Potts
Sis. Mary Presley 
Bro. Wylie Presley
Sis.  Carrie Reaves
Sis. Florene Richardson
Bro. Adam Saunders
Sis. Rosa Small
Deacon  William Springs
Sis. Willie Mae Springs
Sis.  Daisy Staley
Deacon  Harry Stimpson
Sis. Margaret Stimpson
Sis. Fannie Teal
Sis. Ester Walden
Pastor Luther J. Westbrook
Sis. Rachel Westbrook
Sis. Ella Whitaker
Deacon  Jasper Whitaker 
Deacon Fred Worthy
Sis. Lela Worthy

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